Commentary and Articles

commentary

What Factors Affecting Retention Matter Most to Teachers?
Maintaining an adequate supply of teachers is a challenge and an area of significant concern. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, a set of interventions developed to target the preferences and expectations of specific groups of teachers is likely to be most effective.
Apr 5, 2021
commentary

Rescue Plan Help for Family Caregivers Is a First Step
Unpaid caregivers have been a critical part of the functioning U.S. economy, serving as the backbone of the health system, since long before the pandemic started. Adding them to the American Rescue Plan was an important step, but even after the pandemic is over, their financial security will need long-term protection.
Apr 5, 2021
commentary

Now Is (Finally) the Time to Future-Proof Our Infrastructure
The world is barreling toward a more volatile climate with infrastructure designed for the past. With infrastructure widely expected to be prioritized in Congress soon, every infrastructure bill is also a climate bill. It is critical that we make our infrastructure climate-safe.
Apr 1, 2021
commentary

What to Expect When You're Expecting So Much from the Quad
In March, the leaders of the United States, Japan, India, and Australia met virtually for their first Quadrilateral Security Dialogue group meeting. What are the goals of the Quad? What tangibly can or will the Quad do and what does it look like in practice?
Mar 31, 2021
commentary

The Suez Grounding Was an Accident. The Next Blocked Chokepoint Might Not Be
The recent spectacle of a hulking container ship wedged into the Suez Canal is a reminder of how vulnerable maritime transportation is to blocked chokepoints. The fragility of maritime lifelines may encourage the use of this tactic in future conflict.
Mar 30, 2021
commentary

Towards an AI-Based Counter-Disinformation Framework
Artificial intelligence is being used to develop sophisticated malign information on social media. But AI also provides opportunities to strengthen responses to these threats and can foster wider resilience to disinformation.
Mar 29, 2021
commentary

Congressional Options to Advance Peace in Yemen
An enduring peace in Yemen will require addressing Yemen's most immediate needs while working to develop its economic, political, and security institutions. U.S. lawmakers have the tools to help shape this effort and could help end the conflict and bring stability to Yemen.
Mar 29, 2021
commentary

Colombia's Trailblazing Model for Refugees
Colombia recently announced it will give temporary protection status to a million undocumented Venezuelan refugees, with permission to live and work in the country for 10 years. In doing so, it created a new model for managing its own refugee situation and perhaps others elsewhere.
Mar 26, 2021
commentary

Navigating Speed Bumps to a Possible Federal Vehicle Miles Traveled Fee
It's been clear for years that the gas tax has been losing its ability to pay for America's existing roads and bridges, let alone improvements and new construction. A vehicle miles traveled fee could provide a potential option for a 21st-century transportation funding system.
Mar 26, 2021
commentary

Abraham Accords Offer Historic Opportunity to Spur Mideast Growth
The Abraham Accords have heralded a dramatic shift in the relationship between Israel and the Muslim nations of the world. While these accords represent a major political breakthrough, they also represent a possible new chapter in the region's development: away from conflict and toward a shared economic vision of prosperity.
Mar 25, 2021
commentary

The Pentagon Could Help Improve Resilience of the U.S. Electric Grid
The resilience and robustness of the U.S. electric grid needs to be improved, especially given the likely increased occurrence and magnitude of natural disasters due to climate change. This is where government entities that operate large facilities in the United States, such as the Department of Defense, can potentially play a role.
Mar 25, 2021
commentary

Asian American Lives and Livelihoods Don't Just Deserve Our Qualified Support
Racism against Asian Americans is deeply rooted in the history of the United States. Enduring stereotypes about and bias towards Asian Americans, as well as lack of concern about them, have had long-standing harm on Asian American lives and livelihoods. What can the Asian American community and its allies do?
Mar 22, 2021
commentary

The National Guard Can Do It, but That Doesn't Mean It's a Good Idea
Should the National Guard provide an enduring quick reaction force for Washington, D.C., as apparently recommended in a recent report to Congress? Policymakers might ask themselves whether using the National Guard for this mission is actually the best solution.
Mar 19, 2021
commentary

Human Intelligence: The Key to Ferreting Out Extremism in the Ranks
The U.S. military is fighting extremism—including white supremacists and violent anti-government radicals—in its own ranks. De-radicalized former extremists can provide crucial first-hand intelligence on extremist groups' recruiting tactics.
Mar 18, 2021
commentary

Will States Take the Wrong Lesson About Unemployment Insurance's Failings?
By shoring up all state-run Unemployment Insurance programs equally, Congress set a precedent that it will intervene to raise benefits at no cost to state trust funds. From the states' perspective, why hike taxes on businesses to maintain robust unemployment benefits if Congress will step in when the economy goes south?
Mar 18, 2021

Page 88 of 789

…

Quoted

Mandatory evacuation orders are issued when disasters have potentially life-threatening impacts. Disaster after disaster, orders resulted in evacuations that have saved untold lives. Milton is rapidly intensifying and expected to be one of the largest hurricanes on record when it hits the United States. Staying in place could have severe, life-threatening consequences.

Aaron Clark-Ginsberg

Behavioral/Social Scientist

Source: rand.org

The mechanisms behind the apparent adverse effects of climate change on human health are not entirely understood. However, the need for pre-planning for these events to prevent poor health outcomes is clear. Especially among the most vulnerable populations, it is critical to develop and implement mitigating strategies.

Mahshid Abir

Senior Physician Policy Researcher, Professor of Policy Analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School

Source: rand.org

How to Support Victims of Elder Mistreatment

Climate Change Affects Health and Will Increase Drug Demand

A Russia–North Korea Alliance in the Works? Don't Be So Sure

A Different Kind of Disaster Response: Using Social Media Best Practices to Stem the Tide of Misinformation

The Math Equity Equation

The Policy Currents Podcast

Getting to Know Military Caregivers and Their Needs

Managing Escalation in Crisis and War

Assessing and Articulating the Wider Benefits of Research

Improving Access to Early Childhood Education

Commentary and Articles

What Factors Affecting Retention Matter Most to Teachers?

Rescue Plan Help for Family Caregivers Is a First Step

Now Is (Finally) the Time to Future-Proof Our Infrastructure

What to Expect When You're Expecting So Much from the Quad

The Suez Grounding Was an Accident. The Next Blocked Chokepoint Might Not Be

Towards an AI-Based Counter-Disinformation Framework

Congressional Options to Advance Peace in Yemen

Colombia's Trailblazing Model for Refugees

Navigating Speed Bumps to a Possible Federal Vehicle Miles Traveled Fee

Abraham Accords Offer Historic Opportunity to Spur Mideast Growth

The Pentagon Could Help Improve Resilience of the U.S. Electric Grid

Asian American Lives and Livelihoods Don't Just Deserve Our Qualified Support

The National Guard Can Do It, but That Doesn't Mean It's a Good Idea

Human Intelligence: The Key to Ferreting Out Extremism in the Ranks

Will States Take the Wrong Lesson About Unemployment Insurance's Failings?

Connect

I am interested in

Follow

Stay Informed

Resources

Site Information